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First record of plastic debris in the stomach of Mediterranean lanternfishes
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For the first time, scientists found plastic debris in the stomachs of Mediterranean lanternfishes, small deep-sea fish that migrate vertically between depths every day. About 2.7-5.8% of individual fish had ingested plastic, raising concerns that these migratory species could transfer plastic pollutants from surface waters to deeper ecosystems and up the food chain to larger predators.
This study highlights for the first time the presence of plastic debris in the stomachs of Mediterranean lanternfishes (Myctophidae): Electrona risso, Diaphus metopoclampus, Hygophum benoiti and Myctophum punctatum. Samples were collected in the central Mediterranean Sea between 2010 and 2014. Plastics ingested belonged to small microplastics (0.2 - 2 mm), large microplastics (2 - 5 mm) and mesoplastics (5 - 25 mm), having mainly clear colors. Their frequency of occurrence in stomachs was equal to 2.7%, but it increases to 5.8% if only migratory species are considered. The higher number of plastics was found in E. risso and H. benoiti (5 in both species). The plastic ingestion may represent a risk for vertical migrant lanternfishes due to the increase in buoyancy. Ecotoxicological aspects linked to the potential effects of contaminants on lanternfish biology and to the transfer of pollutants throughout the marine trophic web up to top predators should be deepened.
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Using archived museum specimens of lanternfish collected from 1999 to 2017, researchers tracked microplastic ingestion trends in one of the world's most abundant deep-sea vertebrates. They found that 55% of 1,167 specimens contained microplastics, with ingestion probability increasing over time, and that migration patterns were the strongest predictor of contamination levels.
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Researchers examined microplastic ingestion and phthalate contamination in Mediterranean lanternfish (Myctophum punctatum), a species that migrates vertically through the water column where floating plastic debris accumulates. The study confirmed both microplastic uptake and measurable phthalate levels in fish muscle tissue, suggesting these small fish are a pathway for plastic-associated chemicals to enter marine food webs.
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Researchers found microplastics in 68% of mesopelagic lanternfish from the Southwestern Tropical Atlantic, with body size and feeding depth identified as key factors influencing microplastic intake in these abundant deep-sea fish.
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